| Duration | 1h 45m |
| Ratings | UK: 15, USA: R, Spain: 18 |
| Source of story | A novel of the same name by J.J. Connolly |
| Director | Matthew Vaughn |
| Writers/Script | J.J. Connolly |
| Starring | Daniel Craig, Tom Hardy, Sally Hawkins, Burn Gorman, George Harris, Colm Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, Ben Whishaw, Sienna Miller, Jason Flemyng, Michael Gambon, |
| Ratings | IMDb: 7.2/10 by 210k people. Rotten Tomatoes: 7.1/10 by 142 reviewers. |
Plot of Layer Cake: A young drug dealer who, within the environment in which he works, is honest and trustworthy is called to a meeting with boss Jimmy Price, who tells him to find the daughter of an associate, and also to recover a million ecstasy pills stolen from a Serbian gang by low life criminal The Duke and his girlfriend, Slasher. The man, who remains nameless in the film, meets Sydney the Duke’s nephew and is attracted to his girlfriend Tammy. They make a date, but when they get together our hero is kidnapped by men working for super boss, Eddie Temple. Eddie makes our man aware that if he is not given first option on the purchase of the pills he will be displeased and also makes him aware that Jimmy Price is actually a police informer. In the midst of this mash-up the Serbians have sent as assassin over to London to eliminate everyone involved in the theft of the ecstasy pills.
Content: A couple are seen having sex as part of a sex show, some nakedness. Tammy engages in sexy telephone talk while she is painting her toenails, and changes into sexy underwear, although further action does not take place because our man is kidnapped by Eddie Temple’s ex-military. The action ranges around London, taking in Jimmy Price’s suburban residence where our man executes him in the garden. The Duke and Slasher are also shot dead. There are several meetings with Eddie Temple, where Eddie dispenses wisdom.
A View: An American director said that British actors are never happier than when they are playing south London villains, and so it seems to be in this case, Michael Gambon being wonderfully threatening as the chief villain. It is one of those films where you don’t have to worry about not understanding everything. It all clears up in the end, and you get a bit of narration as it goes along. Essential viewing if you like British underworld films, where the police only have walk-ons at best.
Fun Fact: Said to be the film which drew Daniel Craig to the attention of Eon Productions as a possible James Bond.
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